HF 83 — A bill for an act prohibiting foreign governments from acquiring or owning real property or agricultural land located in the state.

Bill Text

• Introduced View text Current pdf

AI-generated reading aid from the bill's amendatory text — verify against the official bill.

The bill prohibits foreign governments from acquiring real property or agricultural land in Iowa and requires divestment of any such property already owned within two years.

• Section 9I.2, unnumbered paragraph 1

  may acquire, by grant, purchase, devise, or descent, real property, except agricultural land or any interest in agricultural land in this state → On or after the effective date of this Act, a foreign government, or an agent, trustee, or fiduciary thereof, shall not acquire, by grant, purchase, devise, or descent, real property or any interest in real property in this state.

  This prohibits foreign governments from acquiring any real property or interests in real property in Iowa.

• Section 9I.2, unnumbered paragraph 2

  A foreign government, or an agent, trustee, or fiduciary thereof, which has purchased or has otherwise acquired real property or an interest in real property prior to the effective date of this Act, shall divest itself of all right, title, and interest in the land within two years of the effective date of this Act.

  This requires foreign governments to divest any real property they currently own within two years.

• Section 9I.3, subsection 1

  A nonresident alien, foreign business, or foreign government, or an agent, trustee, or fiduciary thereof, shall not purchase or otherwise acquire agricultural land in this state. → A nonresident alien, foreign business, or foreign government, or an agent, trustee, or fiduciary thereof, shall not purchase or otherwise acquire agricultural land in this state.

  This maintains the prohibition on foreign entities acquiring agricultural land.

• Section 9I.3, subsection 3, unnumbered paragraph 1

  The restriction set forth in subsection 1 of this section, as to nonresident aliens or foreign businesses or their agents, trustees, or fiduciaries, does not apply to the following:

  This change removes potential exemptions from the restrictions for foreign entities acquiring agricultural land.

• Section 9I.3, subsection 3, paragraph d, subparagraph (3)

  must shall not hold the agricultural land other than as a lessee. → must shall not hold the agricultural land other than as a lessee.

  This clarifies that foreign entities can only lease agricultural land.

• Section 9I.5

  which acquires agricultural land or an interest in agricultural land, by devise or descent after January 1, 1980, shall divest → which acquires real property, or an interest in real property, or agricultural land, or an interest in agricultural land, by devise or descent on or after the effective date of this Act, shall divest

  This aligns the divestment requirement for foreign governments with those for agricultural land.

• Section 9I.10, subsection 1, part b

  the secretary shall report the violation to the attorney general. → the county recorder shall report the violation to the attorney general.

  This designates county recorders to report violations of foreign ownership of real property.

Action History

1. January 17, 2025

   Introduced, referred to Judiciary.

Sponsors

• Zach Dieken · Primary

Subjects